Winding sheet material with threading device

ABSTRACT

In a multidrum winder for sheet material, commonly called a cloth winder, in which a roll of sheet material first winds on a shell supported on the entering drum and then winds on a shell supported on the takeoff drum or on the middle drum and the takeoff drum, improved threading devices are provided to assure that the forward cut end of the cloth or other sheet material will not only start a reverse bend around the new or rear shell, but will continue backwards following the outside of that shell. In one form threading fingers, preferably spring urged toward the shell, hand down below a threading device. In another form, a threading device turning with the new or rear shell, such as a belt or wheel, has teeth which grip the sheet material near its forward end, to assure that it will feed smoothly around the new shell on the first turn. In another form, the rotary threading device is driven at a forward speed slightly greater than the speed of progression of the forward cut end.

United States Patent [72] Inventor William Russell Clark Jenkintown, Pa. [21] Appl. No. 15,455 [22] Filed Mar. 2, 1970 [45] Patented Jan. 11, 1972 [73] Assignee Eddystone Machinery Company Chester, Pa.

[54] WINDING SHEET MATERIAL WITH THREADING DEVICE 9 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 242/56 R [51] Int. Cl B65h 19/20 [50] Field of Search 242/54-56 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,676,764 4/1954 Aulen 242/56 R 3,049,276 8/1962 Wilkins 226/74 3,392,893 7/1968 Bennett et al.. 226/74 3,009,376 11/1961 Rose etal...... 242/56RX 2,561,761 7/1951 Tempe 226/190 X 3,462,058 8/1969 Redman 226/191 Primary Examiner-Leonard D. Christian Attorney-Jackson, Jackson & Chovanes ABSTRACT: In a multidrum winder for sheet material, commonly called a cloth winder, in which a roll of sheet material first winds on a shell supported on the entering drum and then winds on a shell supported on the takeoff drum or on the middle drum and the takeoff drum, improved threading devices are provided to assure that the forward cut end of the cloth or other sheet material will not only start a reverse bend around the new or rear shell, but will continue backwards following the outside of that shell. In one form threading fingers, preferably spring urged toward the shell, hand down below a threading device. In another form, a threading device turning with the new or rear shell, such as a belt or wheel, has teeth which grip the sheet material near its forward end, to assure that it will feed smoothly around the new shell on the first turn. in another form, the rotary threading device is driven at a forward speed slightly greater than the speed of progression of the forward cut end.

PATENTED JAN] 1 1972 SHEET 1 OF 3 QBY INVENTOR ATTORNEYS PATENTEU JAN I 1 B72 SHEET 2 OF 3 INVENTOR. w/zu/m Al/JSILL CLARK ATTORNEYS.

PATENTEIJ JAN] 1 1972 3,533, 5340 saw a or 3 WINDING SHEET MATERIAL WITH THREADING DEVICE DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION The present invention relates to a winder for sheet material, such as cloth, plastic, paper or foil, provided with threading means.

A purpose of the invention is to prevent the tendency of relatively heavy fabrics, plastics and foils in sheet form, to depart from the surface of the new or rear shell in making the first turn around the new or rear shell to start the new roll.

A further purpose is to hold the forward end of the sheet material against the new shell as it leaves a threading device and completes the fourth quadrant of the first turn, by engaging the forward end by depending fingers preferably spring urged against the new or rear shell.

A further purpose in using threading devices having belts or wheels turning with the new or rear shell, or with the forward end of the sheet material turning with the new or rear shell, is to provide teeth which grip the sheet material and exert a pulling force to make the forward end follow the surface of the new shell.

A further purpose is to drive a threading belt or wheel at a speed slightly greater than the speed of progression of the forward cut end of the sheet material.

Further purposes appear in the specification and the claims.

FIG. I is a diagrammatic longitudinal vertical section of a winder for sheet material according to the invention, the section being taken just inside the frame at the end.

FIG. 2 is an enlargement of a portion of FIG. 1 slightly modified for convenience in illustration and showing the depending threading fingers on a threading device illustrated in FIG. 1. FIG. 2 shows the preferred embodiment of the device of the invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates in diagrammatic longitudinal vertical section a modified form of the device shown in FIG. 2, in which teeth are provided on a threading belt.

FIG. 4 illustrates in diagrammatic longitudinal vertical section a modification of the device of FIG. 2 in which teeth are provided on threading wheels.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIGS. 1 and 3, combining the features shown in these other views.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic longitudinal vertical section of a modification in which a threading rotary device is positively driven at a slightly greater forward speed than that of the sheet material.

In the prior art, drum winders for sheet material such as cloth, plastic, paper and foil are usually of the two-drum type, as shown for example in Aulen U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,764, granted Apr. 27, 1964 for Web Winder; Aulen U.S. Pat. No. 2,619,298, granted Nov. 25, 1952 for Web Winder; or Aulen U.S. Pat. No. 3,061,221, granted Oct. 30, 1962, for Winding Machine; or of the three-drum type as shown by Aulen U.S. Pat. No. 3,045,940 granted July 24, 1962 for Three-Drum Winder.

In two-drum winders and three-drum winders, once the roll has wound to a certain size on the entering drum, it is shifted to the takeoff drum in a two-drum winder or to the middle drum and the takeoff drum in a three-drum winder and wound to its full size. In the present invention as a matter of preference I illustrate a three-drum winder, but it will be understood that the invention can be applied equally well to a two-drum winder.

When the roll winding wholly or partly on the takeoff drum has reached its full size, the sheet material is cut by raising a cutter between the entering drum and the takeoff drum in a two-drum winder, or between the entering drum and the middle drum in a three-drum winder. The knife or cutter may be of any suitable character and the nature of the cutter is not critical in the present invention.

On the cutter frame or gate, which carries the knife or cutter, are threading fingers which encounter the forward end of the cut sheet material which must be started on the new roll. Prior to the cut a new or rear shell has been turning on the sheet material as it passes over the entering drum. The threading fingers provided by the cutter frame tend to make the forward cut end reverse direction and climb along the outer surface of the new or rear shell. I

In order to make the sheet material continue around the surface of the new or rear shell, threading devices shown in Aulen U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,764, above referred to, are applied against the new or rear shell on the side remote from the takeoff drum. In the Aulen patent these are belts which are turning with the new or rear shell and which cause the forward end of the sheet material to continue along the surface of the shell as it forms the third quadrant and part of the fourth quadrant of the first turn of the new roll.

The device of Aulen U.S. Pat. No. 2,676,764 has proved to be quite effective for ordinary cloth, plastic, foil and paper. However, more recently sheet material are being wound on cloth winders which are much more stiff, thick, and nonresilient, and which require the application of additional force to make them form a smooth first turn on the new roll, avoiding wrinkles, overlaps and unevennesses. These difficult materials include carpets and other floor coverings, heavy plastics and papers, and thicker and stiffer foils.

The present invention contemplates applying such additional force to make the forward end of the sheet material follow the surface of the new or rear shell either by employing guiding fingers which desirably apply spring pressure to the forward end or by employing teeth on a turning belt or wheel, so that force from the new shell which turns the belt or wheel will be applied to the forward end by the teeth to make it feed smoothly around the outside of the new shell.

In one form of the invention, a moving threading device such as a belt or wheel, with or without teeth engaging the sheet material, is driven at a forward speed slightly in excess of that of the sheet material, say 0.1 to 10 percent and preferably about 1 percent greater.

The winder of the invention as conventionally illustrated comprises a frame 20 having three parallel horizontal shafts 21, 22, and 23 each of which is driven in the same direction by suitable driving means. The shaft 21 is supported in the frame by suitable bearings and has keyed thereon a horizontal entering drum 24. The shaft 22 is journaled on the frame in suitable bearings and has keyed thereon a horizontal middle drum 25. The shaft 23 is journaled on the frame in suitable bearings and has keyed thereon a horizontal takeoff drum 26. A suitable driving interconnection is provided between the drums, which are parallel to one another. The takeoff drum will desirably be lower than the entering drum and the middle drum in the preferred embodiment. The winding machine above the entering drum has upwardly moving receiving pivot jaws 27 which are downwardly urged by piston and piston rod combinations 28 in pneumatic cylinders 30 supported on the sides in the frame. The upwardly moving receiving pivot jaws 27 pivotally support the pivot of the spitz bar of the new or rear shell 31.

Between the entering and the middle drum there are at the sides of the machine suitable guideways 32 which guide a cutter frame or gate 33 which has at its upper end a knife or cutter 34 inclined toward the direction from which the sheet material comes and also mounting upwardly directed springbiased threading fingers 35 as well known in the art. The guideways 32 are preferably slightly inclined toward the direction from which the sheet material comes.

While the sheet material is winding on the takeoff drum and the middle drum or on the takeoff drum, a new or rear shell 31 is placed in the jaws 27 above the entering drum and turns with the entering drum and the sheet material on it just prior to cutting. This new or rear shell can be inserted manually or by rails 40 pivoted at 41 on the frame. At the time of cutting, the gate or cutter frame 33 rises with the knife or cutter and the threading fingers 35 tend to make the forward end of the sheet material 43 reverse its direction following the surface of the new or rear shell 31. The roll 44 then winds as in conventional winding practice on the entering drum until it increases in size and is ready for transfer.

Transfer to the takeoff drum or to the takeoff drum and the middle drum is preferably made by transfer arms pivoted on shaft 46 on the frame extending down to a position below the pivot ends 47 of the shell when the roll is wound to a larger size than that shown in FIG. 1. The transfer arms 45 can be manipulated by a lever or the like or can be operated, for example, by a pneumatic cylinder, not shown. As the roll 44 moves forward to a position above the middle drum, the roll pivots come in contact with letdown arms 48 which. are pivoted on shaft 22 and operated pneumatically. Pneumatic cylinder 50 pivoted on the frame at 51 has a piston and rod combination 52 which is pivotally connected at 53 with lever 54 keyed on shaft 55 journaled on the frame at 56. The shaft 55 also has keyed thereon at opposite ends levers 57 which are pivotally connected at 58 to adjustable links 60 which pivotally connect at 61 to intermediate positions on the letdown arms 48.

When the letdown arms have completed their operation, the roll 44 rests against and turns with the takeoff drum 26 and the middle drum 25. At this position pivot jaws 62 sliding in guideways 63, which extend diagonally upwardly and forwardly at the front of the machine, engage the pivot ends 47 of the roll 44. Each of the pivot ends is either upwardly or downwardly urged by a piston rod 64 which has a piston acting in a pneumatic cylinder 65 which is pivoted on the frame at 66. It will be evident that the location of the pivots with respect to the jaw will be changed depending on whether the pressure is to be exerted upwardly or downwardly.

When the roll 44 of sheet material is wound to a size suitable to doffing, it has, of course, pushed the pivot jaws 62 up along the guideway 63 against or with the action of cylinders 65. At this point cutting is to be accomplished. In order to doff and load the roll of sheet material on a truck, hoist or the like, a doffmg roll 67 is actuated, placed below the roll of sheet material, and pivoted on an axis 68 parallel to the axis of the roll 44, on bearing supports 70 which are mounted on piston rods 71 connected with pistons acting in pneumatic cylinders 72 on the frame. The jaws 62 must be raised at the time of doffing.

Considering now the device as shown particularly in FIG. 2, immediately prior to cutting, threading arms pivoted on a cross shaft 81 are brought forward to engage the side of the new or rear shell 31 remote from the takeoff roll. The threading arms may be manipulated manually or by pneumatic cylinders or other means not shown. The threading arms 80 mount on a suitable bracket 81 near their lower ends opposed rollers or pulleys 82 and 83 which may themselves engage the shell at each threading arm position or which may act as supports for a threading belt as later described. Each of the threading arms at its lower end has pivoted on it at 84 a downwardly extending threading finger 85 which in the preferred embodiment is urged to engage the surface of the shell 31 in its fourth quadrant slightly above the point where the lower shell will be immediately above the entering drum. The threading fingers 85 are urged against the shell or the forward end of the newly cut sheet material by helical tension springs 86 which act from spring anchorages 87 on the threading arms to spring anchorages 88 on the ends of the threading fingers above the pivots 84.

Thus, when the knife cuts the sheet material, the forward cut end first encounters thethreading fingers 35 on the cutter frame, then the wheels or belt of the threading device, and finally the threading fingers 8S hanging down from the threading device to make the stiff material adhere to the new shell.

In some cases it is desired to grip the forward cut end of the Sheet material by teeth on the threading device so that the forward end will be pulled forward at the same speed at which the new shell turns and will be less likely to rumple. In FIG. 3 wheels or pulleys 82 and 83 on the threading arms carry flexible belts 90 which conform to the third quadrant or the third and fourth quadrant of the first turn of the sheet material on the new or rear shell. The belts have at intervals along their length and width projecting teeth or knobs 91 which grip the forward end of the sheet material as it comes between the belts 90 and the new shell and guard against slippage of the sheet material with respect to the threading belts as the threading belts are turned by the new shell or by the sheet material. Tensioning rolls 92 for the belts are conventionally illustrated omitting the spring mechanisms which take up slack in the belts.

In the form of FIG. 4 a belt 90 idles with the new or rear shell on wheels or pulleys 82 and 83. In prolongation of pulleys 82 at each side of each belt and turning with the pulleys are provided wheels 93 which have teeth or knobs 91 mounted around the circumference. As the belts 90 and the wheels 93 idle with the new or rear shell 31, the teeth 91 are available to engage the forward end of the sheet material and guard against slippage and make the sheet material conform to the curvature of the shell.

In FIG. 5 a threading device having a moving rotational element provided with teeth 91 as in FIG. 3, also has threading fingers 85 to assist in guiding the forward cut end of the sheet material as in FIG. 1.

In the device shown in FIG. 6 the entering drum 24 has at one end keyed thereon a sprocket which drives a chain 101 to a sprocket 102 keyed on cross shaft 81 journaled on the overhead frame. The cross shaft 81 has keyed thereon a sprocket 103, and it also acts as a support to loosely pivot a se ries of threading arms 80 positioned at various points across the machine. The threading devices and threading arms may be in general the same as shown in FIG. 3.

Sprocket 103 drives, through chain 104, sprocket 105 keyed on a cross shaft 106 extending across the machine, journaled in the frame, and having adjacent the location of each threading arm a sprocket 107 keyed on cross shaft 106, which drives a chain 108 which meshes with a sprocket 110 operatively driving pulley 83 which supports one end of the threading belt 90 which may have teeth 91.

In this case the surface speed of the threading belt 90 may be slightly greater than the surface speed of the forward cut end of the strip material, for example, of the order of 0.1 percent to 10 percent and preferably about 1 percent greater, so that the rotational threading device, whether with or without teeth, may move the forward cut end forward somewhat faster than the speed of progression of the sheet material, removing any wrinkles which may have occurred during the short time from the moment of cut until the sheet material completes the first turn around the rear or new shell, during which period it would normally progress without being in tension.

Thus, in all of the forms of FIGS. 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 special means are provided which makes it possible to hold the first turn of the new roll tightly against the shell and guard against wrinkling.

It will be evident that adherence between the sheet mate rial being wound and the circumferential surface of the new or rear shell can be improved by roughening the circumferential surface of the shell as by covering it with sandpaper or with abrasive or by providing teeth or projections protruding from it.

In view of my invention and disclosure, variations and modifications to meet individual whim or particular need will doubtless become evident to others skilled in the art, to obtain all or part of the benefits of my invention without copying the structure and method shown, and I therefore claim all such insofar as they fall within the reasonable spirit and scope of my claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A winder for sheet material using shells and comprising a pair of horizontal spaced parallel drums turning in the same direction, one of which is an entering drum and the other of which is a takeoff drum, means for pivotally supporting a forward shell in rotatable position while the sheet material is wound thereon and while the outer circumference of the roll being wound and the forward shell are turning at least in part with the takeoff drum, means for pivotally supporting a rear shell in contact with the sheet material above the entering drum and turning with the entering drum, and cutting means rising from below the sheet material between the drums to cut the sheet material and bend the forward cut end over the rear shell, in combination with threading means contacting the side of the rear shell remote from the takeoff drum and including downwardly guiding threading fingers for holding the forward end of the sheet material against the side of the rear shell remote from the takeoff drum as the forward end approaches the portion of the rear shell immediately above the entering drum, pivoting means mounting the threading fingers, and spring means biasing the threading fingers toward the rear shell.

2. A winder for sheet material using shells and comprising a pair of pivotally spaced parallel drums turning in the same direction, one of which is an entering drum and the other of which is a takeoff drum, means for pivotally supporting a forward shell in rotatable position while sheet material is wound thereon and while the outer surface of the roll being wound and the forward shell are turning at least in part with the takeoff drum, means for supporting a rear shell in contact with the sheet material above the entering drum, and cutting means rising from below the sheet material between the drums to cut the sheet material and bend the forward cut end over the rear shell, in combination with threading means contacting the side of the rear shell remote from the takeoff drum including means turning at a linear speed greater than the speed of the forward end of the sheet material for holding the sheet material against the rear shell, and means for driving the means for holding the sheet material against the rear shell at a speed greater than the speed of the forward end of the sheet materi- 3. A winder of claim 2, in which the means for driving is operated by one of the drums.

4. A winder of claim 3, in which the means turning at a linear speed greater than the speed of the forward end of the sheet material comprises belt means.

5. A winder of claim 4, in which said belt means has teeth thereon engaging the sheet material.

6. A winder of claim 4, in which said belt means turns at a speed of between 0.1 and 10 percent greater than the speed of the forward end of the sheet material.

7. A method of winding sheet material on an entering drum and a takeoff drum, which comprises passing the sheet material about the entering drum in contact with it and winding a roll of sheet material at least partially on the takeoff drum, positioning a new shell against the sheet material above the entering drum and turning the new shell by the motion of the sheet material and the entering drum, cutting the sheet mate rial between the drums, directing the forward cut end of the sheet material reversely around the new shell, passing the forward cut end of the reversely bent sheet material against the new shell and at the same time pulling the forward cut end forward by a pull tending to advance it at a speed greater than its speed of progression.

8. A method of claim 7, which comprises pulling the forward cut end forward by a member progressing at a speed between 0.1 and 10 percent faster than the speed of progression of the forward cut end.

9. A method of claim 7, which comprises pulling the cut end forward by a pull exerted by a member progressing at a speed of about 1 percent greater than the speed of progression of the forward cut end. 

1. A winder for sheet material using shells and comprising a pair of horizontal spaced parallel drums turning in the same direction, one of which is an entering drum and the other of which is a takeoff drum, means for pivotally supporting a forward shell in rotatable position while the sheet material is wound thereon and while the outer circumference of the roll being wound and the forward shell are turning at least in part with the takeoff drum, means for pivotally supporting a rear shell in contact with the sheet material above the entering drum and turning with the entering drum, and cutting means rising from below the sheet material between the drums to cut the sheet material and bend the forward cut end over the rear shell, in combination with threading means contacting the side of the rear shell remote from the takeoff drum and including downwardly guiding threading fingers for holding the forward end of the sheet material against the side of the rear shell remote from the takeoff drum as the forward end approaches the portion of the rear shell immediately above the entering drum, pivoting means mounting the threading fingers, and spring means biasing the threading fingers toward the rear shell.
 2. A winder for sheet material using shells and comprising a pair of pivotally spaced parallel drums turning in the same direction, one of which is an entering drum and the other of which is a takeoff drum, means for pivotally supporting a forward shell in rotatable position while sheet material is wound thereon and while the outer surface of the roll being wound and the forward shell are turning at least in part with the takeoff drum, means for supporting a rear shell in contact with the sheet material above the entering drum, and cutting means rising from below the sheet material between the drums to cut the sheet material and bend the forward cut end over the rear shell, in combination with threading means contacting the side of the rear shell remote from tHe takeoff drum including means turning at a linear speed greater than the speed of the forward end of the sheet material for holding the sheet material against the rear shell, and means for driving the means for holding the sheet material against the rear shell at a speed greater than the speed of the forward end of the sheet material.
 3. A winder of claim 2, in which the means for driving is operated by one of the drums.
 4. A winder of claim 3, in which the means turning at a linear speed greater than the speed of the forward end of the sheet material comprises belt means.
 5. A winder of claim 4, in which said belt means has teeth thereon engaging the sheet material.
 6. A winder of claim 4, in which said belt means turns at a speed of between 0.1 and 10 percent greater than the speed of the forward end of the sheet material.
 7. A method of winding sheet material on an entering drum and a takeoff drum, which comprises passing the sheet material about the entering drum in contact with it and winding a roll of sheet material at least partially on the takeoff drum, positioning a new shell against the sheet material above the entering drum and turning the new shell by the motion of the sheet material and the entering drum, cutting the sheet material between the drums, directing the forward cut end of the sheet material reversely around the new shell, passing the forward cut end of the reversely bent sheet material against the new shell and at the same time pulling the forward cut end forward by a pull tending to advance it at a speed greater than its speed of progression.
 8. A method of claim 7, which comprises pulling the forward cut end forward by a member progressing at a speed between 0.1 and 10 percent faster than the speed of progression of the forward cut end.
 9. A method of claim 7, which comprises pulling the cut end forward by a pull exerted by a member progressing at a speed of about 1 percent greater than the speed of progression of the forward cut end. 